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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. present — there
  3. rest — what's left
  4. fall — to drop
  5. spell — magic
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. plane — a tool
  10. rest — what's left
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. craft — a skill
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. fall — the season
  15. spell — letters
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. cell — in biology
  18. rest — a break
  19. spell — a short time
  20. craft — boats
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — the time now
  23. cell — a phone
  24. fall — to drop

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com